The Portrait of A Lady: Word Meanings in Hindi & English Paragraph Wise Class 11 English

тАШA Portrait of A LadyтАЩ is a lesson in class 11 textbook тАШHornbillтАЩ. A paragraph wise word meanings given here would help in learning well in understanding the lesson тАШA Portrait of A ladyтАЩ. Hindi meanings are also given along with English meanings.


The Portrait of A Lady Word Meanings


WordsMeaningsHindi Meanings
Wrinkledlines and folds in skin due to old ageрдЭреБрд░реНрд░рд┐рдпреЛрдВ рд╡рд╛рд▓рд╛
Prettyattractive and appealingрдЖрдХрд░реНрд╖рдХ рдУрд░ рдорди рдХреЛ рднрд╛рдиреЗ  рд╡рд╛рд▓рд╛
Best partmost of the part, more than halfрдЖрдзреЗ рд╕реЗ рдЬреНрдпрд╛рджрд╛ рд╣рд┐рд╕реНрд╕рд╛
Sort oftype or typical ofрддрд░рд╣ рдХрд╛
As ifas thoughрдЬреИрд╕реЗ рдХрд┐
Revoltingextremely unpleasant, disgusting, repulsiveрдШрд┐рдиреМрдирд╛ рдУрд░ рдШреГрдгрд╛ рдЙрддреНрдкрдиреНрди рдХрд░рдиреЗ рд╡рд╛рд▓рд╛
Absurdsilly and ridiculous, not sensibleрдмреЗрддреБрдХрд╛, рдмреЗрдврдВрдЧрд╛ рдУрд░ рдирд┐рд░рд░реНрдердХ
Undignifiedcausing dishonour and disrespectрдЕрд╢реЛрднрдиреАрдп
Terriblyvery muchрдмрд╣реБрдд рдЬреНрдпрд╛рджрд╛, рдЦреВрдм
Hobbledifficulty in walkingрд▓рдВрдЧрдбрд╝рд╛  рдХреЗ рдпрд╛ рдЕрдЯрдХ рдХреЗ рдЪрд▓рдирд╛  
Spotlesspure and clean, without any marksрдмреЗрджрд╛рдЧ
Stoopshoulder bending forwardрдХрдВрдзреЛрдВ рдХрд╛ рдЖрдЧреЗ рдХреА рдУрд░ рдЭреБрдХрдирд╛, рдирд┐рд╣реБрд░рдирд╛  
Rosary a string of beads used in counting prayersрдЬрдкрдорд╛рд▓рд╛, рд╕реБрдорд┐рд░рдгреА
Tell beadsto pray with rosary рдорд╛рд▓рд╛ рдЬрдкрдирд╛
Locksthe hair of headрдмрд╛рд▓реЛрдВ рдХреА рд▓рдЯ
Puckeredwith irregular lines and foldsрд╕рд┐рдХреБрдбрд╝рд╛ рдУрд░ рд╢рд┐рдХрди рд╡рд╛рд▓рд╛ рдЪреЗрд╣рд░рд╛
Serenityfree from stress and emotions, calm and peacefulрд╢рд╛рдВрдд рдЪрд┐рддреНрдд рдХреА рдЕрд╡рд╕реНрдерд╛
Constantlyall the timeрд╣рдореЗрд╢рд╛, рдмрд░рд╛рдмрд░
Monotonousnever changing, dull and boringрдПрдХ рдЬреИрд╕рд╛ рд╣реА
Bothered worriedрдкрд░реЗрд╢рд╛рди рдУрд░ рдЪрд┐рдВрддрд┐рдд
Fetchbringрд▓рд╛рдирд╛
Chorusgroup singingрд╕рдореВрд╣ рдЧрд╛рди
Send forask to comeрдмреБрд▓рд╡рд╛рдирд╛
Distressfelt troubled, worried with mental painрдорди рдореЗрдВ рдЕрд╢рд╛рдиреНрддрд┐ рдХреЗ рднрд╛рд╡, рдкреАрдбрд╝рд╛ рдУрд░  рдХреНрд▓реЗрд╢  
Lewdobscene and offensiveрдЕрд╢реНрд▓реАрд▓
Harlotsprostituteрд╡реЗрд╢реНрдпрд╛
Gentlefolkpeople from respected or high-class familiesрдХреБрд▓реАрди рдЬрди
Disapprovalexpressing dislikeрдирд╛рдкрд╕рдВрджрдЧреА, рдирдХрд╛рд░рдирд╛
Seclusionavoiding contact with public.рдПрдХрд╛рдВрдд
Resignationwilling to accept difficult and unpleasant situations that you cannot changeрдХрд┐рд╕реНрдордд рдХреЗ рднрд░реЛрд╕реЗ
Rarely not often, not a usual happeningрдХрднреА-рдХрднрд╛рд░ рд╣реА
Veritablecomparatively genuine and authentic, very much so realрд╕рддреНрдп рдУрд░ рджреГрдврд╝
Bedlama very noisy and confusing sceneрд╣рдВрдЧрд╛рдорд╛ рдУрд░ рд╢реЛрд░рдЧреБрд▓
Shooto make flee or run awayрднрдЧрд╛рдирд╛
Cherishlove the pleasant feeling ofрдорди рдореЗрдВ рд╕рдВрдЬреЛрдирд╛, рдЕрдЪреНрдЫрд╛ рд▓рдЧрдирд╛
ImprintmarkрдЫрд╛рдк, рдореЛрд╣рд░
Clasphold tightly in handрдХрд╕ рдХрд░ рдкрдХрдбрд╝рдирд╛
Frivoloussilly and not seriousрддреБрдЪреНрдЫ рдУрд░ рдирдЬрд░рдВрджрд╛рдЬ рдХрд░рдиреЗ рд▓рд╛рдпрдХ
Rebukereprimand, speak angrily and severelyрдбрд╛рдВрдЯ , рдЭрд┐рдбрд╝рдХ
Sagging loosening due to sinking or bulgingрдЭреЛрд▓ рдУрд░ рд╕реНрдерд┐рд▓рддрд╛
Dilapidatedold and in bad conditionрдЯреВрдЯрд╛ рдлреВрдЯрд╛, рдмрд░реНрдмрд╛рдж рдЕрд╡рд╕реНрдерд╛ рдореЗрдВ
Omit tofail to do something, excludingрднреВрд▓ рдХрд░ рдЫреЛреЬ рджреЗрдирд╛ рдпрд╛  рди рдХрд░ рдкрд╛рдирд╛
Pallorpale colour due to illnessрдЪреЗрд╣рд░реЗ рдХрд╛ рдкреАрд▓рд╛рдкрди
Customaryconventional and ritual practicesрдкрд╛рд░рдВрдкрд░рд┐рдХ рдУрд░ рд░реВрдврд╝рд┐рдЧрдд рдкреНрд░рдерд╛рдПрдБ рдУрд░ рд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рдЬ
Shroudcloth to wrap a dead bodyрдХрдлрди
Blazea bright flame ofрд▓рдкрдЯ рдпрд╛ рд░реМрд╢рдиреА рдХреА рдЪрдордХ

A Portrait of A Lady: Paragraph Wise Word Meanings


MY grandmother, like everybodyтАЩs grandmother, was an old woman. She had been old and wrinkled for the twenty years that I had known her. People said that she had once been young and pretty and had even had a husband, but that was hard to believe. My grandfatherтАЩs portrait hung above the mantelpiece in the drawing room. He wore big turban and loose-fitting clothes. His long, white beard covered the best part of his chest and he looked at least a hundred years old. He did not look the sort of person who would have a wife or children. He looked as if he could only have lots and lots of grandchildren. As for my grandmother being young and pretty, the thought was almost revolting. She often told us of the games she used to play as a child. That seemed quite absurd and undignified on her part and we treated it like the fables of the Prophets she used to tell us.

English Word/PhraseMeaning in EnglishMeaning in Hindi
Old womanAn elderly womanрдмреБрдврд╝рд┐рдпрд╛
WrinkledHaving small lines or folds on the skin, often due to ageрдЭреБрд░реНрд░рд┐рдпрд╛рдБ рд╡рд╛рд▓рд╛
PortraitA painting or photograph of a person, especially the faceрдЪрд┐рддреНрд░
MantelpieceA shelf above a fireplace where decorative objects are placedрдордВрдЯрд▓рдкреАрд╕
TurbanA long piece of cloth wrapped around the head as a head coveringрд╕рд░рдкрдЯ
Loose-fitting clothesClothes that are not tight or form-fittingрдвреАрд▓реЗ рдХрдкрдбрд╝реЗ
AbsurdExtremely silly or foolishрдмреЗрддреБрдХрд╛
UndignifiedNot showing proper respect or seriousnessрдЕрдпреЛрдЧреНрдп
FablesStories with a moral lesson, often involving animalsрдкреМрд░рд╛рдгрд┐рдХ рдХрдерд╛рдПрдБ
ProphetsPeople who are believed to have been sent by God to teach people about the religionрдирдмреА

She had always been short and fat and slightly bent. Her face was a criss-cross of wrinkles running from everywhere to everywhere. No, we were certain she had always been as we had known her. Old, so terribly old that she could not have grown older, and had stayed at the same age for twenty years. She could never have been pretty; but she was always beautiful. She hobbled about the house in spotless white with one hand resting on her waist to balance her stoop and the other telling the beads of her rosary. Her silver locks were scattered untidily over her pale, puckered face, and her lips constantly moved in inaudible prayer. Yes, she was beautiful. She was like the winter landscape in the mountains, an expanse of pure white serenity breathing peace and contentment.

English Word/PhraseMeaning in EnglishMeaning in Hindi
Slightly bentNot standing or sitting straight; slightly curvedрдереЛрдбрд╝рд╛ рдореБрдбрд╝рд╛ рд╣реБрдЖ
Criss-crossA pattern of intersecting lines or marksрдХреНрд░рд┐рд╕-рдХреНрд░реЙрд╕
WrinklesSmall lines or folds on the skin, often due to ageрдЭреБрд░реНрд░рд┐рдпрд╛рдБ
HobbledWalked with difficulty or a limpрд▓рдВрдЧрдбрд╝рд╛рддреЗ рд╣реБрдП рдЪрд▓рдирд╛
SpotlessCompletely clean and free from dirt or stainsрдирд┐рд░реНрд▓реЗрдк
RosaryA string of beads used in praying the rosary, a form of devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesusрдорд╛рд▓рд╛
Silver locksGray or white hairрдЪрд╛рдВрджреА рдЬреИрд╕реЗ рдмрд╛рд▓
PaleHaving a light color or lacking in color; not bright or intenseрдлреАрдХрд╛
PuckeredGathered or folded together closelyрдЭреБрд░реНрд░рд┐рдпреЛрдВ рд╕реЗ рднрд░рд╛ рд╣реБрдЖ
InaudibleUnable to be heardрдЕрд╕реБрдиреА
SerenityThe state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubledрд╢рд╛рдВрддрд┐
ContentmentA state of happiness and satisfactionрд╕рдВрддреЛрд╖

My grandmother and I were good friends. My parents left me with her when they went to live in the city and we were constantly together. She used to wake me up in the morning and get me ready for school. She said her morning prayer in a monotonous sing-song while she bathed and dressed me in the hope that I would listen and get to know it by heart; I listened because I loved her voice but never bothered to learn it. Then she would fetch my wooden slate which she had already washed and plastered with yellow chalk, a tiny earthen ink-pot and a red pen, tie them all in a bundle and hand it to me. After a breakfast of a thick, stale chapatti with a little butter and sugar spread on it, we went to school. She carried several stale chapattis with her for the village dogs.

English Word/PhraseMeaning in EnglishMeaning in Hindi
MonotonousDull, tedious, and repetitious; lacking in variety and interestрдПрдХрдореБрдЦреА
Sing-songA way of speaking or singing with a rising and falling rhythm that is pleasant to listen toрдЧреАрдд рдЧрд╛рдиреЗ рдХреА рддрд░рд╣
BathedWashed oneтАЩs body in a bathtub or showerрдирд╣рд╛рдирд╛
PlasteredCover or coat (a surface) with plaster or a similar materialрдкреНрд▓рд╛рд╕реНрдЯрд░ рд╕реЗ рдврдХрдирд╛
SlateA flat piece of stone, typically rectangular or square, used for roofing or flooringрдлрд░реНрд╢ рдХрд╛ рдкрддреНрдерд░
EarthenMade of clay or other earthenware materialрдорд┐рдЯреНрдЯреА рдХрд╛
Ink-potA small container for holding inkрдорд╕рд╛рд▓реЗ рдХрд╛ рдмрд░рддрди
StaleNo longer fresh and pleasant to eat or smell; having lost its original flavor or qualityрдмрд╛рд╕реА
ChapattiA thin, unleavened flatbread made from wheat flour, common in Indian cuisineрдЪрдкрд╛рддреА
ButterA pale yellow edible fatty substance made by churning cream and used as a spread or in cookingрдордХреНрдЦрди
SugarA sweet crystalline substance obtained from various plants, especially sugar cane and sugar beet, used as a sweetenerрдЪреАрдиреА
VillageA group of houses and associated buildings, larger than a hamlet and smaller than a town, situated in a rural areaрдЧрд╛рдБрд╡

My grandmother always went to school with me because the school was attached to the temple. The priest taught us the alphabet and the morning prayer. While the children sat in rows on either side of the verandah singing the alphabet or the prayer in a chorus, my grandmother sat inside reading the scriptures. When we had both finished, we would walk back together. This time the village dogs would meet us at the temple door. They followed us to our home growling and fighting with each other for the chapattis we threw to them.

English Word/PhraseMeaning in EnglishMeaning in Hindi
AttachedJoined or fastened to somethingрдЬреБрдбрд╝рд╛ рд╣реБрдЖ
TempleA building devoted to the worship, or regarded as the dwelling place, of a god or gods or other objects of religious reverenceрдордВрджрд┐рд░
PriestA person who performs religious ceremonies and offers prayers to a deity or deitiesрдкреБрдЬрд╛рд░реА
VerandahA roofed platform along the outside of a house, level with the ground floorрдмрд░рд╛рдорджрд╛
ChorusA large group of singers, especially one that performs together with an orchestra or opera companyрдЬрдирд╕рдореВрд╣
ScripturesSacred writings or books; religious textsрдзрд░реНрдо рдЧреНрд░рдВрде
VillageA group of houses and associated buildings, larger than a hamlet and smaller than a town, situated in a rural areaрдЧрд╛рдБрд╡

When my parents were comfortably settled in the city, they sent for us. That was a turning-point in our friendship. Although we shared the same room, my grandmother no longer came to school with me. I used to go to an English school in a motor bus. There were no dogs in the streets and she took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard of our city house.

English Word/PhraseMeaning in EnglishMeaning in Hindi
Comfortably settledTo have established oneself comfortably in a placeрд╕реБрдЦрдж рд░реВрдк рд╕реЗ рд╕реНрдерд╛рдкрд┐рдд рд╣реЛрдирд╛
Turning-pointA time at which a decisive change in a situation occurs, especially one with beneficial resultsрдмрджрд▓рд╛рд╡ рдХрд╛ рд╕рдордп
FriendshipA state of mutual trust and support between two peopleрдорд┐рддреНрд░рддрд╛
CourtyardA space open to the sky and surrounded by walls or buildingsрдЖрдВрдЧрди
City houseA house located in a cityрд╢рд╣рд░реА рдШрд░

As the years rolled by we saw less of each other. For some time she continued to wake me up and get me ready for school. When I came back she would ask me what the teacher had taught me. I would tell her English words and little things of western science and learning, the law of gravity, ArchimedesтАЩ Principle, the world being round, etc. This made her unhappy. She could not help me with my lessons. She did not believe in the things they taught at the English school and was distressed that there was no teaching about God and the scriptures. One day I announced that we were being given music lessons. She was very disturbed. To her music had lewd associations. It was the monopoly of harlots and beggars and not meant for gentlefolk. She said nothing but her silence meant disapproval. She rarely talked to me after that.

English Word/PhraseMeaning in EnglishMeaning in Hindi
Rolled byPassed graduallyрдзреАрд░реЗ-рдзреАрд░реЗ рдмреАрддрд╛
Western scienceThe scientific knowledge and discoveries made in the Western worldрдкрд╢реНрдЪрд┐рдореА рд╡рд┐рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рди
Law of gravityA law stating that any two masses in the universe attract each other with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between themрдЧреБрд░реБрддреНрд╡рд╛рдХрд░реНрд╖рдг рдХрд╛ рдХрд╛рдиреВрди
ArchimedesтАЩ PrincipleA law of physics stating that the upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displacesрдЖрд░реНрдХрд┐рдореАрдбреАрдЬ рдХрд╛ рд╕рд┐рджреНрдзрд╛рдВрдд
ScripturesReligious texts or booksрдзрд░реНрдордЧреНрд░рдВрде
DisapprovalThe feeling of not approving of or being against something or someoneрдЕрд╕рдВрддреЛрд╖

When I went up to University, I was given a room of my own. The common link of friendship was snapped. My grandmother accepted her seclusion with resignation. She rarely left her spinning-wheel to talk to anyone. From sunrise to sunset she sat by her wheel spinning and reciting prayers. Only in the afternoon she relaxed for a while to feed the sparrows. While she sat in the verandah breaking the bread into little bits, hundreds of little birds collected round her creating a veritable bedlam of chirrupings. Some came and perched on her legs, others on her shoulders. Some even sat on her head. She smiled but never shooed them away. It used to be the happiest half hour of the day for her.

English Word/PhraseMeaningHindi Translation
UniversityAn institution of higher education and researchрд╡рд┐рд╢реНрд╡рд╡рд┐рджреНрдпрд╛рд▓рдп
SeclusionThe state of being private and away from other peopleрдПрдХрд╛рдВрддрддрд╛
Spinning-wheelA device used to spin fibers into threads or yarnрдЪрд░рдЦреА
RecitingSaying something out loud, often from memoryрд░рдЯрдирд╛
VerandahA roofed platform along the outside of a houseрдЫрдЬреНрдЬрд╛
BedlamA scene of uproar and confusionрд╣рд▓реНрд▓рд╛ рдмреЛрд▓
ChirrupingsThe high-pitched sound made by small birdsрдЪрд╣рдЪрд╣рд╛рдирд╛
PerchedResting on a branch or other objectрдЪрдврд╝рд╛ рд╣реБрдЖ
ShooedTo make someone or something go away, usually by waving your hands or making a loud noiseрдЪрд▓реЗ рдЬрд╛рдиреЗ рдХреЛ рдХрд╣рдирд╛

When I decided to go abroad for further studies, I was sure my grandmother would be upset. I would be away for five years, and at her age one could never tell. But my grandmother could. She was not even sentimental. She came to leave me at the railway station but did not talk or show any emotion. Her lips moved in prayer, her mind was lost in prayer. Her fingers were busy telling the beads of her rosary. Silently she kissed my forehead, and when I left I cherished the moist imprint as perhaps the last sign of physical contact between us.

English Word/PhraseMeaningHindi Translation
AbroadIn or to a foreign country or countriesрд╡рд┐рджреЗрд╢
SentimentalShowing or characterized by tender emotions, especially of fondness, romanticism, or nostalgiaрднрд╛рд╡рдирд╛рддреНрдордХ
Railway stationA place where trains regularly stop so that passengers can get on or offрд░реЗрд▓рд╡реЗ рд╕реНрдЯреЗрд╢рди
EmotionA strong feeling such as love or anger, or strong feelings in generalрднрд╛рд╡рдирд╛
PrayerA solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worshipрдкреНрд░рд╛рд░реНрдердирд╛
RosaryA string of beads used for counting prayers in the Roman Catholic Churchрдорд╛рд▓рд╛
CherishedHeld dear; valued highlyрдЕрдореВрд▓реНрдп
ImprintA mark or depression made by pressureрдЫрд╛рдк

But that was not so. After five years I came back home and was met by her at the station. She did not look a day older. She still had no time for words, and while she clasped me in her arms I could hear her reciting her prayers. Even on the first day of my arrival, her happiest moments were with her sparrows whom she fed longer and with frivolous rebukes.

English Word/PhraseMeaningHindi Translation
ClaspedTo hold tightly with arms, hands, or legsрдЧрд▓реЗ рд▓рдЧрд╛рдирд╛
RecitingSaying something out loud, often from memoryрд░рдЯрдирд╛
FrivolousNot having any serious purpose or valueрдлреБрдЯреАрд▓
RebukesExpress sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behavior or actionsрдбрд╛рдВрдЯ
ArrivalThe act of reaching a destination or the time when someone or something arrivesрдЖрдЧрдорди

In the evening a change came over her. She did not pray. She collected the women of the neighbourhood, got an old drum and started to sing. For several hours she thumped the sagging skins of the dilapidated drum and sang of the home-coming of warriors. We had to persuade her to stop to avoid overstraining. That was the first time since I had known her that she did not pray.

English Word/PhraseMeaningHindi Translation
NeighbourhoodA district or community within a town or cityрдкрдбрд╝реЛрд╕
DilapidatedIn a state of disrepair or ruin as a result of age or neglectрдЯреВрдЯрд╛-рдлреВрдЯрд╛
ThumpedHit (something) heavily and repeatedlyрдард╛рдк
SaggingHanging down or bending because of weight or pressureрдЭреБрдХрд╛ рд╣реБрдЖ
WarriorsA brave or experienced soldier or fighterрдпреЛрджреНрдзрд╛
PersuadeCause (someone) to do something through reasoning or argumentрд░рд╛рдЬрд╝реА рдХрд░рдирд╛
OverstrainingTo push someone or something too far beyond their limits, causing strain or damageрдЬреНрдпрд╛рджрд╛ рддрдирд╛рд╡

The next morning she was taken ill. It was a mild fever and the doctor told us that it would go. But my grandmother thought differently. She told us that her end was near. She said that, since only a few hours before the close of the last chapter of her life she had omitted to pray, she was not going to waste any more time talking to us.

English Word/PhraseMeaningHindi Translation
Taken illTo become sick or unwellрдмреАрдорд╛рд░ рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рдирд╛
Mild feverA slight increase in body temperature often due to an infectionрд╕рд╛рдорд╛рдиреНрдп рдмреБрдЦрд╛рд░
EndThe final part of somethingрдЕрдВрдд
NearClose in distance or timeрдирд┐рдХрдЯ
OmittedLeft out or excludedрдЫреЛрдбрд╝ рджреЗрдирд╛
WasteUse or expend carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purposeрдмреЗрдХрд╛рд░ рдХрд░рдирд╛

We protested. But she ignored our protests. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads. Even before we could suspect, her lips stopped moving and the rosary fell from her lifeless fingers. A peaceful pallor spread on her face and we knew that she was dead. We lifted her off the bed and, as is customary, laid her on the ground and covered her with a red shroud. After a few hours of mourning we left her alone to make arrangements for her funeral. In the evening we went to her room with a crude stretcher to take her to be cremated. The sun was setting and had lit her room and verandah with a blaze of golden light. We stopped half-way in the courtyard. All over the verandah and in her room right up to where she lay dead and stiff wrapped in the red shroud, thousands of sparrows sat scattered on the floor. There was no chirruping. We felt sorry for the birds and my mother fetched some bread for them. She broke it into little crumbs, the way my grandmother used to, and threw it to them. The sparrows took no notice of the bread. When we carried my grandmotherтАЩs corpse off, they flew away quietly. Next morning the sweeper swept the bread crumbs into the dustbin.

English Word/PhraseMeaningHindi Translation
ProtestedTo express disagreement or disapprovalрд╡рд┐рд░реЛрдз рдХрд░рдирд╛
PeacefullyIn a calm and serene mannerрд╢рд╛рдВрддрд┐рдкреВрд░реНрдг
PrayingCommunicating with a God or deity, often through spoken or silent wordsрдкреНрд░рд╛рд░реНрдердирд╛ рдХрд░рдирд╛
BeadsSmall, often spherical objects, usually strung together for counting or decorative purposesрдореЛрддреА
LifelessWithout life or consciousnessрдирд┐рд░реНрдЬреАрд╡
PallorAn unhealthy pale appearanceрдлреАрдХрд╛рдкрди
FuneralA ceremony to honor and remember a deceased personрдЕрдВрддрд┐рдо рд╕рдВрд╕реНрдХрд╛рд░
Crude stretcherA simple and rudimentary device used for carrying an injured or deceased personрдЕрд╕рдВрдЧрдд рдмрд┐рдЫреМрдирд╛
CrematedTo burn a dead body into ashes, often as part of a funeral riteрд╢рд╡ рджрд╣рди рдХрд░рдирд╛
CourtyardAn open space surrounded by walls or buildings, often located within a house or other structureрдЖрдВрдЧрди
ChirrupingThe sound made by birds, often in a repetitive and melodious mannerрдЪрд╣рдЪрд╣рд╛рдирд╛
DustbinA container used for collecting and disposing of waste materialsрд░рджреНрджреА рдмрдХреНрд╕рд╛

тАЬThe Portrait of A ladyтАЭ-Explanation of the Highlighted Words


тАЬThe thought was almost revoltingтАЭ means that the idea or concept being referred to is causing strong feelings of disgust or repulsion in the speaker. In this context, the speaker is suggesting that it is difficult for them to imagine their grandmother as having been young and pretty because she has always appeared old and wrinkled to them. The speaker finds it almost disgusting to think of their grandmother in a different way than the way they have always known her.

тАЬan expanse of pure white serenityтАЭ is used to describe the beauty and peacefulness of the old woman who is being described. The phrase is a metaphor comparing the womanтАЩs appearance to that of a serene winter landscape in the mountains, which is wide and open and covered in pure white snow. The description suggests that the old womanтАЩs appearance is not conventionally attractive, but she possesses a beauty that is peaceful, serene, and calming, just like the winter landscape.

тАЬturning-pointтАЭ is a critical moment or event that marks a significant change or shift in the direction or course of something. It can be a moment of realization or decision-making that alters the path or trajectory of a person, group, or situation. Turning-points can be positive or negative, and they often have long-term effects that influence future events and outcomes. In the context of the given sentence, the turning-point refers to the moment when the narratorтАЩs parents sent for them, which caused a significant change in their friendship with their grandmother.

тАЬaccepted her seclusion with resignationтАЭ means that the grandmother had to spend a lot of time alone or away from other people, but she had come to terms with this situation and had learned to live with it without complaining. She had accepted her isolation as a part of her life, and although it may have been difficult for her, she had decided to make the best of the situation and not let it get her down. In other words, she had learned to be content with her seclusion and had accepted it as an unavoidable reality.

тАЬa veritable bedlam of chirrupingsтАЭ means that there were a lot of birds chirping loudly and excitedly, creating a chaotic and noisy environment. The word тАЬveritableтАЭ means тАЬgenuineтАЭ or тАЬrealтАЭ, while тАЬbedlamтАЭ refers to a state of uproar, confusion or chaos. The word тАЬchirrupingsтАЭ is used to describe the sounds that birds make when they chirp. So, the phrase is used to paint a picture of a very noisy and lively scene, where the birds were chirping so loudly and in such large numbers that it created a sense of chaos or bedlam.

тАЬfrivolous rebukesтАЭ refer to light-hearted or playful scolding that are not meant to be taken seriously. In the context of the given passage, it means that the grandmother was scolding her sparrows playfully and not in a harsh manner. It could be seen as a way for her to express her joy at her grandsonтАЩs return and to distract herself from the emotions she might be feeling.

тАЬthe sagging skins of the dilapidated drumтАЭ: тАЬsagging skinsтАЭ refers to the drumтАЩs drumheads or membranes, which are usually made of animal skin or synthetic materials. These drumheads are stretched over the top and bottom of the drumтАЩs body, creating a resonant chamber that amplifies the sound produced by striking the drum with sticks or hands.

The adjective тАЬsaggingтАЭ implies that the drumheads are old and worn out, causing them to hang down or droop because they are no longer taut. Similarly, тАЬdilapidatedтАЭ suggests that the drum is in a state of disrepair, indicating that it is old, damaged, or broken. Thus, the phrase тАЬsagging skins of the dilapidated drumтАЭ paints a picture of an old, worn-out drum with loosely stretched drumheads that have lost their original tension and sound quality.


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